Photos show apparent damage caused by a stockcar at an event on Friday night.

Ballymena United chairman John Taggart described his 'total disappointment'.

He said: "With a current estimated spend of £250,000, not including ongoing maintenance and repair, we have to call into question how those in charge of the Showgrounds in Mid and East Antrim Council could quite possibly have come to the conclusion that tyres placed at wide intervals could ever have protected their vast financial investment in the playing surface.

"Ballymena United have been very supportive of the Council and the unprecedented scale of the works undertaken on the pitch.

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"Despite the cost of having to play almost the first quarter of the season away from home, supporters, officials, players and staff have all been looking forward to the greater good of having a pitch that would be the envy of many top flight clubs for years to come.

"This morning the confidence in the Council's protection and maintenance of the new surface has been unfortunately dashed.

"At the AGM, concerns were raised at great length by shareholders about what efforts would be in place to protect the pitch from damage. Supporters were particularly vociferous that the Council should not allow damage to the playing surface after such a capital spend of rate payers' money.

"Unfortunately, the grass hasn't as much as bedded in and the Council's token attempts to protect the pitch at the very first use of the main arena have resulted in widespread disgust and sadness.

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"It is the understanding of the club that the main arena is to see further use between now and the anticipated date in which the club has been advised the we can return home, and we strongly call on Mid and East Antrim Council to do its duty to local rates payers and all users of the main arena in ensuring that facilities are protected from regular damage, as the Council indicated it would be.

"As always we will continue to work with all for the greater good of sporting facilities in our borough, and will continue to advocate that these must be respected and protected by all."

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In a statement Mid and East Antrim Council said that remedial works were being carried out today.

They said: "We are deeply disappointed by last night's incident and fully appreciate and understand the frustration around this.

"Ballymena Showgrounds is a multi-use facility, enjoyed by a wide range of local sporting organisations.

"The measures put in place to protect the new surface at the venue were inadequate for last night's event.

"Remedial works are being carried out on the pitch today.

"As the owners of the venue, we are fully committed to doing all that we can to safeguard the new pitch, and we are considering a range of measures to minimise the risk of damage to the surface as a matter of urgency."

Ballymena Raceway has been contacted for comment.

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